Method of preparing adhesive coatings and applying them to fabrics without the use of solvents.



Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

XXNI away,

I. MEADE.

METHOD OF PREPARING ADHESIVE COATINGS AND APPLYING THEM TO FABRICSWITHOUT I THE USE OF SOLVENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1916- I m U MIL "Ill".

JAMES MEAIDE, OF STO UGI-ITON, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF PREPARING ADHESIVE COATINGS AND APPLYING THEM TO FABRICS.WITHOU'I. THE USE OF SOLVENTS.

ful Method of Preparing Adhesive Coatings andApplying Them to FabricsWithout'the Use 'of Solvents, ofwhich the following is a specification.

In the preparation of adhesively coated fabrics, such as duck which witha layer of a sticky substance applied to one face is commonly used forthe well known gem insoles for Goodyear welt shoes, the usual practiceis to first treat a solid adhesive, say

gutta-percha, with a solvent, as naphtha. This makes a solution of sucha consistency that it may be readily distributed uniformly over thefabric by means of a spreader. This procedure, however, has severalobjectionable-features. To get the solution into condition for spreadingrequires nearly twenty-four hours. The solvent is so highly volatilethat it is necessary to have the solution quite thin to permit it toremain sufiiciently fluid throughout the spreading operation. Thiscauses it to run when first applied, and only a shallow coating cansuccessfully be given the fabric. Consequently, to obtain the necessarydepth of adhesive, several coatings are spread one upon another addinggreatly to the time and expense of production. When thesolution-c'oatedfabric is utilized for such workas insoles, it is the.usual practice to cut it, many layers at a. I time, with heated dies.

These when they come in contact with the adhesive dry.out the solventand cause the edges of the cut insoles to stick together, oftenrequiring that they be picked laboriously apart. There is also thegeneral objection to the employment of volatile solvents that the fumesare liable to become ignited, as by sparks from motors driving themachinery in which the dissolved adhesive is operated upon, causingexplosions and fires. By my method, I eliminate the solvent and apply tothe fabric in a single brief series of operations as thick a coating asis desired, giving an inexpensive product which may conveniently behandled without danger of sticking when being cut to form.

In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing an organization is illustratedby which my improved method maybe carried out, while Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 191%.

Application filed March 16, 1916. Serial No. 84,567;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of a portion thereof.

As an adhesive solid I may employ guttapercha, pontianac, balata, andvarious other gumsor resins which possess the property of becomingplastic and adhesive under .the influence of heat. It is to beunderstood that when hereinafter gums or gummy solids are referred to,it is intended toembrace all suitable inspissated vegetable juices, andthe like. With this solid, to permit it to be brought to the properstate of plasticity and to be highly adhesive whenheated and againcooled, I mix with it a suflicient amount, say 10%, of a wax, orwax-like substance, which may be mineral, animal or vegetable. Of theseI prefer paraflin, bees wax or carnauba. The term wax-like substance isto be considered to comprehend all waxes and substances which resemblethem in character.

The correct proportions of the gums and Waxes are first reduced to aproper state of division and mixed in a preliminary way by being groundtogether in a mill indicated at A., This mill may consist of a pair ofdifferentially driven rolls 10, 10, preferably hollow and heated bysteam-pipes 11 to a temperature at which both the gum and wax aresomewhat softened. The temperature at which the substances named becomeplastic is from 170 to 180 Fahrenheit. From the receptacle 12 of themill the mixture, now in the condition of a thick paste or dough, istransferred to a tank 13 containing a liquid, preferably water, heatedby a steampipe 14: to a temperature of about 200 F. While the mass isstill more softened there- 'by, it remains in a condition in which itmay be handled. From the tank the coating mix" ture is placed asrequired in-the hopper 15 of a mixer B, where it is advanced by a C, atthe rear of the gage-knife 21. This knife has a hollow support 22 towhich is connected a steam-pipe 23, Steam enters I the coating in theproperly plastic condition until it is fully spread. In its movementthrough the machine it is then dried in the customary manner bysteam-pipes 24L and received as the completed goods upon a winding roll25. During no step in the process does the adhesive come under theinfluence of a degree of heat great enough to so harden it that it losesits flexibility, this being approximately 220 F.

By this method I obtain, with little expenditure of time, a mixturewhich at. all

steps is in the best condition to receive the treatment which is beinggiven, which will be free from stickiness until heated for a purpose offinal utilization, and which when thus heated and applied will be highlyadhesive.

1 claim:

1. The method of applying adhesive coatings to fabrics which consists inmixing a gummy solid and a Wax-like solid at a temperature at which thesolids become plastic, and spreading the'mixture upon the fabric underthe influence of a higher temperature.

2. The method of applying adhesive coatings to fabrics which consists ingrinding together and mixing a gum anda wax at a temperature at leastthat at which the mixture becomes plastic, tempering this mixture at ahigher temperature, and spreading the mixture upon the fabric under theinfluence of a still higher temperature.

3. The method of applying adhesive coatnaaaeer ings to fabrics whichconsists in grinding together and mixing a gum and a wax at atemperature of approximately 170 F, tempering this mixture atapproximately 210 F., and spreading the mixture upon the fabric underthe influence of a temperature of approximately from 212 to 215 F.

4. The method of preparing adhesive coatings which consists in grindingtogether and mixing a gum anda wax at a temperature at least that atwhich the mixture becomes plastic, immersing the mixture in a liquidheated tora higher temperature, and tempering the mixture.

5. The method of preparing adhesive coatings which consists in grindingtogether and mixing a gum and a wax at a temperature at least that atwhich the mixture becomes plastic, immersing the mixture in a liquidheated to a higher temperature, and tempering the mixture at a stillhigher temperature.

6. The method of applying adhesive coatings-tq fabrics which consists ingrinding together and mixing a gum and a wax at a temperature ofapproximately 17 0 F, immersing the mixture in a liquid heatedapproximately to 200 F., tempering the mixture at a temperature ofapproximately 210 F, and spreading the mixture upon the fabric under theinfluence of a temperature of from 212 to 215 F.

Signed at Stoughton, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, this 13th day of March, 1916.

JAMES MEADE.

